Diction
Diction is the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing (“Diction"). This seven-letter word is not a well known one, but it is one that is present in all public discourses. Diction is a major component in what an audience takes away from a speech. Diction is how a speaker conveys the message they want to get across. There are a myriad of ways a speaker could choose to present their overall point, and the choices that they end up making are called diction. First, this chapter will give a brief history of the word diction. Then, this chapter will discuss will discuss different areas such as politics and marketing that communication scholars are interested in exploring diction by way of examples.
Diction has been of interest to scholars since at least the time of Homer and his contemporaries (Reese, 2009). They believed it was important to use words and phrases that would resonate and make most sense to to their audiences. This can especially be seen throughout Homer’s The Odyssey in book nine, lines 137-151. Diction was also a tool used to craft long passages in order to properly introduce the readers to the main characters (Clay, 2011). As time has gone on, other literary scholars have implored the same use of diction. Diction was relevant several centuries ago and it is still relevant today.
Scholars have asserted that there are several types of diction present and used in society; however, the most prominent are formal and informal (“Diction,” 2019). Formal diction, also known as academic diction, is the choice of words in a form such as an academic essay or a professional speech. Diction is often emphasized when teaching writers how to write, or while teaching students how to analyze others’ or improve their own writing. Informal diction is what someone may use among their friends or when writing an email. A good way to think about informal diction is as “common vernacular” or “everyday speech” (“Literary Terms,” 2015). It is important to understand that there are different types of diction used across communities and in a variety of settings. Communication scholars need to study diction to see how communities are formed and to get a sense of what is pertinent to each community. For example, let’s say one wants to understand how one uses language to access a new community. They may analyze how a person trying to enter a new community addresses questions such as what do I say in order to fit in and how can I best connect with this group of people and show that I am similar to them.
Another area in which communication studies often study diction is politics. Politicians use diction in order to convey ideologies and garner support (Hairman, 1995). They have to think about their audiences and how to convey their policy positions. They cannot say everything everywhere so they have to make decisions about diction, which tends to be informed by which messages they want to send to their audiences. Politicians turn to a range of rhetorical strategies including ethos, pathos, and logos in order to persuade while keeping in mind kairos. In contemporary U.S. politics, diction is so important that politicians often have advisors who help them make decisions about how to present their ideas. Such decisions are important, because at the end of the day, they have to convey their message through a select choice of words. They have to use diction.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is an example of a politician who used careful diction throughout her 2016 Presidential Campaign. At a rally in Grand Rapids Michigan, for example, Clinton continually praised the workers of Michigan and appealed to them based on issues most concerning to them. About three minutes into her speech, she complimented a Senator from Michigan, citing her as the most “dedicated and effective member of the United States Senate” (Clinton, 2016). She knew her audience and the community to which she was speaking. When speaking at the Democratic National Convention in July of 2016, Clinton spoke to the entire country, not just the people in one locale such as Grand Rapids. She did not highlight the work of Senator Stabenow, nor did she mention her plans to work with her as President (Clinton, 2016). Rather, she emphasized national issues and policies using her diction to focus on national issues rather than local. What we can see then is how diction is adjusted based on the audience, which is shaped by space and place. Clinton made these choices deliberately. She used diction to appeal to the audience she was mostly directly talking to in order to win their votes. While there were voters in Michigan watching her DNC speech, they were not the group she was most concerned about appealing to like when she was talking directly to them in Michigan. In reality, she was the same candidate in Michigan as she was at the DNC, even though she did not say the same exact things in each speech. As a culture, some of us have gotten used to politician’s diction, and many people have tried to find a way to see through it and accurately assess what they are “selling.” (Kluger, 2016).
Marketing is another area where communication scholars are interested in diction. A large portion of marketing, in general, involves diction. In order to successfully market, it is imperative to catch the prospective “buyers” attention and often times that is done through the choice of words. Popular Instagram influencer Josh Ostrovskey known as “The Fat Jew” created a brand of wine called “White Girl Rose.” In his marketing, Ostrovskey uses words that have been typically been coined as being “basic” and things white college girls say, such as “this is so us” or “love you, mean it” (Price, 2017). Ostrovskey has chosen to use these phrases, among others, to appeal to wealthy, white college women. Even though these phrases have nothing to do with the way the wine tastes, the marketing strategy has been successful. The success is in part due to the fact that these phrases, plastered on Billboards near Coachella and other music festivals, have caught people’s attention. Whether or not someone believes these sayings actually apply to them or they are just ironic does not necessarily matter, it is relatable to the target audience. The use of these phrases is Ostrovskey, and his marketing team, using diction. They are choosing specific words and phrases to sell a product to a target audience, like a politician, and it is effective.
Diction is not something that people explicitly think about everyday. Often times, people adjust the way they are talking because of who they are talking to. Rather, diction is often a subconscious process. Students do not swear in front of professors and peers do not use formal language to casually address one another on campus. These are both examples of people using diction. It is imperative for communication scholars to understand what diction is in order to understand why someone is using diction. Diction, as a rhetorical trope, helps communication and rhetoric scholars get a better sense of communities as it provides insight as to how ideas are expressed in that specific community. Understanding the use of diction can lead to more thoughtful, intentional, efficient, and effective communication across cultures, religions, and nationalities.
Works Cited
Clay, J. S. (2011), Homer's Winged Words: The Evolution of Early Greek Epic Diction in the Light of Oral Theory – By Steve Reece. Religious Studies Review, 37: 127-127. doi:10.1111/j.1748-0922.2011.01512_7.x
Clinton, H. (2016, July 28). Retrieved April 17, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOmwVXDdKRM
Clinton, H. (2016, November 07). Retrieved April 17, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZngjbhTEhNk
Diction. (2019). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/diction/30349
Diction. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2019, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/diction
Literary Terms. (2015, June 1). Retrieved April 3, 2019, from https://literaryterms.net/
Hairman, R. (1995). Political Style: The Artistry of Power. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Kluger, J. (2014, May 07). Politicians: Words and Phrases They Must Stop Saying. Retrieved April 17, 2019, from http://time.com/90382/politicians-words-stop-saying/
Price, L. (2017, September 12). Two Years Later, White Girl Rosé Is Still Here. Because Instagram. Retrieved April 17, 2019, from https://vinepair.com/articles/white-girl-rose-instagram/
Reece, S. (2009). Homer's winged words: the evolution of early Greek epic diction in the light of oral theory. Leiden: Brill.
